II.

MISS AMEDROZ IS PURSUED.

"I suppose now, my dear, it may be considered that everything is
settled about that young lady," said Lady Aylmer to her son, on the
same day that Miss Amedroz left Aylmer Park.

"Nothing is settled, ma'am," said the Captain.

"You don't mean to tell me that after what has passed you intend to
follow her up any further."

"I shall certainly endeavour to see her again."

"Then, Frederic, I must tell you that you are very wrong
indeed;--almost worse than wrong. I would say wicked, only I feel
sure that you will think better of it. You cannot mean to tell me
that you would--marry her after what has taken place?"

"The question is whether she would marry me."

"That is nonsense, Frederic. I wonder that you, who are generally so
clear-sighted, cannot see more plainly than that. She is a scheming,
artful young woman, who is playing a regular game to catch a
husband."

"If that were so, she would have been more humble to you, ma'am."

"Not a bit, Fred. That's just it. That has been her cleverness. She
tried that on at first, and found that she could not get round me.
Don't allow yourself to be deceived by that, I pray. And then there
is no knowing how she may be bound up with those horrid people, so
that she cannot throw them over, even if she would."

"I don't think you understand her, ma'am."

"Oh;--very well. But I understand this, and you had better understand
it too;--that she will never again enter a house of which I am the
mistress; nor can I ever enter a house in which she is received.
If you choose to make her your wife after that, I have done." Lady
Aylmer had not done, or nearly done; but we need hear no more of her
threats or entreaties. Her son left Aylmer Park immediately after
Easter Sunday, and as he went, the mother, nodding her head, declared
to her daughter that that marriage would never come off, let Clara
Amedroz be ever so sly, or ever so clever.

"Think of what I have said to you, Fred," said Sir Anthony, as he
took his leave of his son.

"Yes, sir, I will."

"You can't be better off than you are;--you can't, indeed." With
these words in his ears Captain Aylmer started for London, intending
to follow Clara down to Belton. He hardly knew his own mind on this
matter of his purposed marriage. He was almost inclined to agree
with his father that he was very well off as he was. He was almost
inclined to agree with his mother in her condemnation of Clara's